THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A majestic cliff overlooking a pristine beach. That’s the image which immediately flashes across our minds when we hear Varkala. In reality, the tourist destination is much more than just a cliff and a beach. The failure in tapping Varkala’s full potential is perhaps one of the reasons for the fall in tourist arrivals to the destination over the years.
According to recent figures, domestic tourist arrivals fell by 17.7 per cent and foreign tourists arrivals dropped by 8.7 per cent in the state in November compared to the same period last year. A fallout of this has already been felt in Varkala with most hotels witnessing a drop of up to 30 per cent in occupancy.
Backpacker’s Paradise
The favourite haunt of a budget tourist, Varkala is known as a ‘backpacker’s paradise’. The tag has both been a blessing and a curse, according to stakeholders in the industry. Rampant construction along the cliff, most of it violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) guidelines, have made the destination look ugly and ill-planned.
“Though the beach and cliff combination is unparalleled, the resorts and restaurants here lack basic architectural aesthetics. The lack of uniformity and planning is quite evident. Still I enjoy coming to the place for its natural beauty and the calm it offers, which is a far cry from the maddening crowds in other places,” said Olga, a tourist from Yekaterinburg in Russia.
Image Overhaul Needed
“The view of the beach and the cliff have been the prime attractions of Varkala. But we have never tried to present the destination also as a spiritual-cum-wellness spot. How many foreign tourists are aware that intellectual and spiritual centres, such as Sivagiri Mutt, Narayana Gurukulam and Kanwashramam exist within a few kilometres from the beach? How many of them know about the wellness options such as ayurveda and nature care available at this destination?” asks Sanjay Sahadevan, who owns a couple of resorts in Varkala.
Dr Venu Panicker, an ayurveda practitioner based in Varkala has been actively engaged in promoting the ancient system of medicine among foreign tourists. Vera Anikeeva, a 63-year-old woman from Russia, had been suffering from chronic cough for the last 10 years which didn’t even let her sleep at night. Vera fully recuperated after spending a few weeks at Dr Venu’s clinic in Varkala. “The elderly woman has gone back to Russia promising to bring more people from her country for treatment here. Apart from the word of mouth, we have no backing from tourism authorities in terms of proper marketing in foreign countries,” Dr Venu says.
Adventure Destination
There is also a need to market Varkala as an adventure destination, according to Ashirbad Praharaj, general manager, The Taj Gateway Hotel. “The wave quality at Varkala beach is perfect for surfing. Also the adjoining cliff gives the right air flow which is most ideal for para-sailing. Such avenues need to be explored more,” he added. According to stakeholders in the tourism industry, a 40 kilometre stretch spanning various beach destinations - from Paravur to Shankumugham via Varkala - can be developed into a string of ‘beach villages’. This would include places such as Kappil, Papanasam, Anjengo, Perumathura and Kadinamkulam which have been left off the tourism radar. Under the Tourism Department’s Green Carpet initiative, several cleaning drives have been conducted at Varkala to rid the place of the waste menace. “The civic body is also actively engaged in efforts to get the place cleaned periodically after segregating bio-degradable and plastic waste. This has ensured cleanliness at the destination to a great extent,” said Lenin, a resort owner.